Anecdotes ef Human Injluence upon Brutes. 175 



tvhich it implies, were all purely instinctive : draw a diagram be- 

 fore the identical dogs who performed the journey, and they 

 would have just as much idea of the difference of distance, or 

 of the form thus presented to them, as if they had never exer- 

 cised a preference respecting it. The other circumstances of 

 the narration mark the presence of an intelligent influence, 

 more or less in activity^ according to the contingent require- 

 ments of the peculiar situation of themselves and their masters. 

 Upon these, however, after what has been advanced, I need not 

 stop to offer any comment. 



The foregoing example, when contrasted with the following inci- 

 dents, place in a most striking light the difference between Man and 

 Brute, in the exercise by the former of the rational power on the 

 most familiar qualities of objects. In the cases of two individuals 

 who recovered their sight, — the first under the care of Sir Everard 

 Home, the second under that of Mr. James Ware, — it is related of 

 the first, that " different coloured pieces of card were separately 

 placed before his eye, and so little had he gained in thirteen days, 

 that he could not, without counting their corners, one by one, tell 

 their shape. This he did with great facility, running his eye 

 quickly along the outline, so that it was evident he was still learn- 

 ing, just as a child learns to read."* — Of the second it is said, 

 " Master W. knew and described a letter, not only as white, but 

 also as square, because it had corners ; and an oval silver box, not 

 only as shining but also as round, because it had not corners : he 

 likewise knew, and called by its name, a white stone mug, on the 

 first day he obtained his sight, distinguishing it from a bason, be- 

 cause it had a handle. "+ Is it not to be inferred that the Brute 

 would act thus respecting the properties of objects, if he possessed 

 any power properly rational ? and thus that in the case of the Dogs 

 above recited, when led to the choice of a particular line of direc- 

 tion, this circumstance would lay the groundwork in the animal 

 mind, of a rational knowledge, to be improved upon, hereafter^ 

 respecting the figure and form thus thrust upon its attention ? 



* Nicholson's Phil. Jour. Vol. 28, No. S. 

 + Ibid, Phil. Trans. 1801, p. 382. 



